Swimming at the national level has always been icing on the cake for Libby Westrate.

Now a senior, she is more determined to make the most of this week’s NCAA Division III National Championships — the last meet of the Hope College sprinter’s career.

“Before, when I have qualified for nationals it has been just a bonus meet,” Westrate said. “Now, being ranked this high has made me focused more.”

Westrate is seeded fourth in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.34 seconds and sixth in the 100 freestyle at 51.16 heading into the meet at Shenandoah, Texas, which begins today.

“Never in a million years would I have thought I could be ranked in the top eight at nationals,” Westrate said. “It is pretty exciting.”

The senior from Grandville is one of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Associations best. She has been named the MIAA’s Most Valuable Swimmer the past two seasons.

Westrate is a four-time conference champion in the 100 and 200 freestyles and won the past three in the 50 freestyle.

“She is definitely the best sprinter we have had,” Hope coach John Patnott said. “She didn’t come in that way, but she progressed into it.”

How does a swimmer make that kind of leap?

“She has progressed so far because of her attitude and her work ethic — it is exceptional,” Patnott said. “She tends to all of the details. She trains hard all the time.”

Westrate is seeded 18th in the 200 freestyle at 1:52.34. She also will join Klare Northuis (Holland), Luisa Burgess and Hannah Larson on three relays. Larson will swim the 200 backstroke and is seeded 27th at 2:05.48.

Westrate finished 13th in the 50 freestyle last year, the first time she scored in the top 16 at nationals.

“When I came in, I never would have been able to think I could accomplish what I have accomplished these past four years,” Westrate said.

Now that she has wrapped her head around it, Westrate is focused on a strong finish.

“It is a different kind of mental preparation than I have had in the past,” she said. “I have nothing left to lose. I just want to go after it. That has really driven me. I typically have a slow start for a sprinter. Working on those things have helped me master my stroke.”

As a sprinter, the events are just as much mental as physical, said Westrate, who tries to block everything out.

“Honestly, my mind kind of goes blank,” she said. “I try to clear it and just race. Some people get sick of swimming the same stroke over and over, but quite frankly, I love it. I just love freestyle. I love sprinting and it is what I am good at. When you love something, it makes you want to work at it. This year, I had a good midseason taper, and at leagues, I just blew those times out of the water.”

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Westrate has a chance at the national championship in the 100 freestyle, Patnott said.

“In the 100, she is four-tenths (of a second) off the leader,” he said. “We’ll see. If she can improve a little bit, she will be in there.”